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puritanical

[pyoor-i-tan-i-kuhl] / ˌpyʊər ɪˈtæn ɪ kəl /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The setting is still a Swiss alpine hamlet, but the villagers are all members of some puritanical sect and its sleepwalking heroine, Amina, has longings that transcend its limits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

The Jesus Army church recruited thousands of people to live in close-knit, puritanical communities in Northamptonshire, London and the Midlands.

From BBC • Jul. 28, 2025

It’s another element in Saudi Arabia’s about-face from a hermit kingdom notorious for puritanical laws to a tourist destination that can draw 150 million visitors a year.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

Then there's the "hustle culture" guys, who instead insist that puritanical self-deprivation is the key to masculinity: strict diets, elaborate workouts, overtime schedules that leave no time for a social life.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2025

The advice to omit needless words should not be confused with the puritanical edict that all writers must pare every sentence down to the shortest, leanest, most abstemious version possible.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker




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